Die-press mechanism



March 26, 1929. w. CAMERON DIE PRESS MECHANISM Filed March 11, 1925 5- Sheets-Sheet 1 March 26, 1929. w, CAMERON 1,706,599

DIE PRESS MECHANISM Filed March 11, 19:35, 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 A r7 Q i I I 1 1 ti13 1 3 3 I I ii 1 F .1 L g I f m i L l I t\ Q a l I l I I Q I A D W i W T I l w (a E F 1 i i I 'jzo' emr March 26, 1929. w, CAMERON 1,706,599

DIE PRESS MECHANISM Filed'llarch 11, 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Mmh 26,1929.

W. CAMERON DIE PRESS MECHANISM Filed March 11, 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 witness March 26, 1929. w. CAMERON DIE PRESS MECHANISM Filed March 11, 1925 5 SheetS-Sheet Patented Mar. 26, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM CAMERON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS. ASSIGNOB '10 CAMERON CAN MACHINERY COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

DIE-PBES8 MECHANISM.

AppHoatlon ma March 11, 1025. man No. 14,624. 4

This invention rclates'in general to metal working machines, such as die presses of :the automatic or other type, and has more particular reference to a novel stop motion for .such machines or die presses, as for example, those illustrated in my prior Patents, No. 1,277,342, granted August 27, 1918, and No.

. 1,477,240, granted December 11, 1923, over which the present invention constitutes an improvement and of which it forms an adjunet,

My invention also relates to a novel method and apparatus for supplying oil to the press punch and is of particular advantage when the press is being used for cutting lithographed or lacquered tin plate as the oil thus spread on the upper surface of the plate will prevent the punch from scoring or otherwise marring the lithographed surface thereof.

Machines of the above mentioned character are ordinarily equipped with a pneumatic feed for lifting the metal blanks from a magazine, whereupon the blanks are transferred from the pneumatic lifting devices to a channel along which they are fed in a stepby-step movement by a suitable feed mechanism. The pneumatic apparatus, by which the blanks are lifted in succession from the magazine, consists of a plurality of suction cups to which vacuum is applied. Should a sheet or blank of metal, being fed into the guideway or feed channel, be. Warped or bent, or should one or moreof the cups for any reason not become firmly attached to the sheet being lifted, or improperly or partiallyreleased, the sheet will be released or partially released before it is fully engaged by the transferring mechanism, with the result that it will not properly enter the feed channel and a j am will result.

The iresent invention provides positive means for cooperation or use with the feeding means for quickly and automatically bringing the motion of the feeding mechanism and the operation of the press to a stop before the parts become jammed with the sheets. The device also takes care of other defective conditions such as the feeding of a blank of excessive thickness or improper outline, or improper functioning of. the parts, or other false operations as will be more fully explained hereinafter.

Still further objects of minor as well as Fig. 1 is a side elevation of an automatic die press of the type referred to in the statement of objects of the invention, having the feeding means and novel stop motion or automatie' stop in accordance with the present invention, parts of the device being broken away and in section to illustrate the construction and operation thereof;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan view showing the feeding mechanism including the feed channel or guideway applied thereto;

Fig. 3 is a detail view of a plate or bar constituting one of the walls of the feed slot and a part of the stop mot-ion device as an ad u nct of the die press;

4 1g. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional elevation showing the feed channel and parts of the automatic stopmotion device;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the friction means emplo ed in connection with the feed channel an to form a slight pressure upon the blank to insure its forward movement in the feed device.

Fig. 6 is a top plan view of the top plate or movable wall which is the initial operating member of, the improved stop mechanism constituting part of my invention, and such view also includes a plan of other members cooperating with the top plate, while at one end thereof the improved oiling device 15 shown in operative position therewith.

Fig. 7 is a cross sectional view of the top plate and shows the oiling device in conjunction therewith.

Fig. 8 is a cross sectional view of the oiling device taken on the line 88 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 9zis a cross sectional view of the roller member used in the oiling device for oiling the top of the blank of metal before the same engages the die.

Another object of the invention is to provide reliable and positive mechanical means independent of electrical means or electromagnet-s, which upon the feeding of a blank or sheet which is warped or bent, or of excessive thickness or the jamming thereof in the feed channel, will instantly and positively but gently bring the machine or press to a stop, without in any way interfering with the normal stopping or braking of the press, as by the usual control lever provided for his purpose.

By reference to the drawing, in Which I have illustrated only such parts of the machine or automatic die press of the type such as shown and described in my prior patents above referred to in order that the purpose and method of operation may be understood, it will be seen that the machine comprises generally, a frame 6 provided near its top with suitable bearings 7, in which the main power shaft 8 is journaled. The shaft 8 is suitably driven and provided wit-h a flywheel or belt pulley 9 and a central crank between the spaced bearings 7, as shown in my rior patents, and of which one is shown in ig. 1 of the drawings, by which the usual cross-head is reciprocated in the guideways of the machine frame by means of a head 10 in the usual manner to reciprocate the upper dies carried by the cross-head to cooperate with the stationary lower dies mounted upon the bed of the machine. The blanks of tin or other metal to be operated upon are indicated at 11 and are disposed in a pile in the inclined magazine of the support 12, from which they are lifted in succession by a series of suction cups 13 into alignment with the feed channel or slot, whereupon they are moved lat-,

. erally edgewise into this channel by suitable transferring devices 15 as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing, said transfer devices being actuated from the main shaft 8 by suitable operating connect-ions indicated at 16, the specific construction and operation of which will be apparent from my prior patents. The suction cups 13 are mounted upon the lower ends of pipes 17 adapted to be reciprocated in suitable guideways of the frame, reciprocating movement being imparted to these cups at predetermined intervals from the arms 18 upon a rock shaft 19 operatively driven from the power shaft 8. The suction cups 13 are shown connected with pipe lines 20 having a common source of suction or vacuum creating means all of which is clearly shown and described in my prior patents, but which forms no particular part of the present invention except in so far as the combinations and sub-combinations of elements are necessary in the operation of the machine for the purpose of a comprehensive understanding of the present in vention.

The magazine 12 is shown mounted on or connected to the frame part 21 including the guideway and carrying a suitable feeding device for advancing the blank or sheet after it has been fed into position in the channel or groove, and which said feeding device consists of a feed bar 22 having a plurality of pivoted feed dogs 23 and reciprocating by a cross-head 24 which is suitably actuated from the'power shaft of the machine through the medium of the operative connections generally designated at 25. The frame part 21 includes a bottom or table plate 26, having a channel 27 in the lower portion thereof for receiving attaching bolts 28 of a bracket 29 which is mounted on the plate in fixed position but adapted to be adjusted should occasion require, by reason of the bolts positioned in the channel or groove 27. It will be noted that the channel is of T shaped or doves tailed cross section to receive the heads of the bolts whereby when the nuts 30 are tightened, displacement of the connections is prevented and the bracket is thereby firml held in position. The bracket is provideci with upstanding pivot arms 31 in which a lever 32 is pivoted intermediately of its ends as indicated at 33, and said lever has one free arm extending upwardly from said pivot.

This free end is preferably bifurcated as at 34 to provide for a member 35 which consists of the tongue 36 extending into the bifurcations 34 of the free end of the lever 32 and which is pivotally mounted therein at the point 37, while, at a point near the front of said free end, said members are connected by means of a thumb screw or withdrawable pin 38 as before explained. Beyond the tongue 36 of the member 35 is a nut portion 39 which has its outer end preferably split to provide jaws 40 beyond the threaded portion into which an adjustable thumb screw 41 is located and which thumb screw can be fixed securely in position by tightening the jaws 40 through the medium of a screw 42 connecting them together. The shoulders 43 of the bifurcation 34 extend outwardly from the lever 32 in order to form the stop 44 which normally rests against the upstanding pivot arm 31 of the bracket 29. The bracket 29, below the point where it engages the bottom plate or table 26 is provided with a portion 45 which has a circular hole 46 in the same for seating a spiral spring 47. Said spring engages the lower face of the downwardly extending arm 48 of the lever 32 and is positioned thereon through the medium of the spring retaining seat 49. The tension on the spiral spring 47 is regulated by means of the plate 45 which fits into the bottom of the hole 46 and engages the lower end of said spring while the position of said plate in said hole is fixed by means of the set screw 45 engaging therewith and adapted to be locked in position by the lock nut 46'. The portion 45 of the bracket 29 extending. downward from the bottom plate or table 26, is provided with a pair of bifurcated arms 50 and 51 respectively, in the former of which a latch member 52 is pivotally connectedat the oint 53 and its outward end 54 thereof is a apted to bear against an enlarged portion 55 on the lower end 48 of the lever 32 vGil while the inner end of said latch member is provided with a hooked end 56 for engagement with a pawl 57 which said pawl is pivotally mounted at 58 in the bifurcated arm of the portion 45. The downwardly extending portion 52' having the hooked end 56 is also providedon its inner face with a small hook 52 for connecting a spiral spring 53 with a iii 53 located on the portion 45 as shown in ig. 4.

By reference toFig. 1 of the drawing, an operating lever 59, together with attendant mechanism for starting and stopping the press is shown in dotted lines, and while this mechanism forms no part of my invention, the operating handle 59 is loosely mounted on the shaft 61 and has an extension 59' pivotally connected with the link 59. In presses embodying my invention, this mechanism willremain substantially as shown in my United States Letters Patent No. 1,477 ,240 and in dotted lines in Fig. 1 of the drawing, it being on the other end of said shaft, and I have securely mounted on the shaft 61 a bell crank 62, one arm of which is pivotally connected at the point 63 with a connecting rod 64. An arm 61 carrying a pin 62' in the outer end thereof is securely fixed to the shaft 61 at the same end as the operating lever 59, so that when said shaft is operated through the bell crank 62 and attendant mechanism the pin 62' will bear against the arm 61' pivoted to the link 59% so as to press the said arm and link downward and stop the press and return the operating lever to its original position. The upper end of this connecting rod fits into a split nut 65, the jaws of which are secured by means of a bolt 66 while the upper end of said nut is pivotally mounted at 67 on the pawl 57 as shown in Figs. 1 and 4. The lower arm 68 of the bell crank 62 is connected at its outer end with a spiral spring 69, the other end of which spring is fixedly mounted on the frame 6 at the point 70.

Above the feed bar 22 and adapted to rest at its front end on the seat 71, formed between the shoulders 72 on the bottom plate or table 26 and at its rear end on the seat 73 between the shoulders 74 and 75 on the oiling device 76, is a top plate or movable clearance for the feed dogs 23 so-that the,

latter may be oscillated to engagethe rear edge of a blank in the feed channels, which said oscillations will feed the blank forward at each step a distance equal to the distance between the two adjacent. dogs. The upper plate 77 is provided with friction members at suitable locations throughout the same, and in the present instance I have shown two as indicated at 80 and 81. These friction members consist of a ball 82 having its periphery extending slightly below the bottom level of the plate 77 and resting within a circular hole 83 which extends downward from a longitudinal groove 84, while a leaf spring 85 in said groove, held in position by the screw 86, engages the upper part of said ball and exerts a tertain amount of spring tension thereon.

The upper plate or movable wall 77, resting' as it does above the feed bar 22, is held in the seats 71 and 73 at a position slightly above the upper surface of the bottom plate or table 26 so as to provide a space or feed slot 87 between said plates for the admission of the blank 11 which enters at the point 88 and said lower plate has a bevelled member 89 thereon for guiding the blank to its propposition slightly toward the front end thereof as shown in Fig. 6 and the connection between these points will be explained hereinafter.

At the front of the bottom plate or table 26 and secured thereto by suitable bolts 91 is the oiling device 76 which consists of a casing or outer shell 92 provided with a housing member 92 which has an inner wall 93 and an outer wall 94 terminating in a cup shaped member 95 and said cup has an opening 96 through the center of the same and extending into the interior 97 between the walls 93 and 94. The wall 93 is provided with a set screw 98 extending through the same for adjusting purposes as later explained, and has a recessed end 99 for receiving the tapered end 100 of a roller member 101, while the other tapered end 102 of said roll extends into a recess 103 in the wall 95 of said member and in line with the opening 96 therein. This roller member, a cross section of which is shown in Fig. 9 has a metal center 104 with the tapered ends 100 and 102 and a rubber exterior 105 and the said metal center 104 has a longitudinal central opening 106 extending throughout the length of the same which communicates with the opening 96 from the cup shaped member 95 and with a series of radial openings 107 extending through portions 104 and 105 constituting the roller member 101 so that liquid, such as oil entering the cup shaped end 95 will pass downward through the opening 96 and into the longitudinal opening 106 in said roll, where ,it will be dis tributed through the radial openings 107 as later explained. The oiling device 76 is provided with a bracket 108 which carries any'approved style of cup 109 which is regulated to drop oil or other lubricating material into the cup shaped end 95 of the member 92' as desired.

l/Vhile I have described in connection with my invention certain parts and actions of an ordinary automatic press such, for instance, as shown in my prior patents before referred to, my invention in this case is limited to that part of the machine as shown in the drawings beginning with the upper wall or movable plate 77 carrying the oiling device 76, and extending through the intermediate connections to the pin 70 to which is attached the spring 69, although the operations of these parts is effected through the operation of the press as shown in my prior patents.

The operation of theparts comprised in my invention will be better understood from the following description of the manner in which the same cooperates with the press.

Considering the blanks. 11 piled in the magazine 12 and the press placed in operation by means'of the lever or handle 59, as shown in dotted lines on Fig. 1 of the drawings, pressed forward in the direction of the arrow A. The operating lever 59 being loosely mounted on the shaft 61 and having the extension 59' connecting with the link 59*, will draw said link around so; as to pull the shaft connecting said link downward and thus engage the clutch member (not shown) operating said press. This movement will cause a Y rotation of the belt pulley or flywheel 9 and all intermediate parts operating through the main power shaft 8 of the press so that the suction cups 13 mounted on the lower ends of the pipe 17 are lowered onto the top plate or blank 11 in the magazine 12, and during the upward movement of the same carry the upper plate or blank from said position to the point 88 where said blank is guided by means of the beveled member 89 into the feed slot 87 formed between the bottom plate or table 26 and the upper plate or moving wall 77, and immediately over the feed bar 22. As the press reeiprocates through the medium of the head 10 operating from the power shaft '8, the feed bar 22 will be caused to reciprocate through the parts 25 so that the dogs 23 on said feed bar will engage the outer end of the said blank and move it forward the distance between the successive dogs on said feed bar. As

the blank 11 rides in the feed slot 87 formed by the lower plate or table 26 and the upper' plate or moving wall 77 it has sometimes been found that upon the return movement of the reciprocating action of thesaid feed bar the blank has returned therewith so that it'cannot be engaged and fed by the next feed dog. To assist in overcoming this objection, I have placed the friction members at suitable locations in the top plate 77 as indicated at the points 80 and 81, and these friction members will exert a certain amount of pressure throughthe ball 82 and the same is pressed down upon upper surface of the blank by means of the leaf spring 85 so that there will be a tendency for said blank to remain in its forward position during the return reciprocatory motion of the said feed bar.

If for any reason the blank 11 should enter the feed slot 87 in an untrue or unaligned position, or if the same should be of excessive thickness or improper outline, or if there should be any improper. function of the said device in its action upon the said blank, it will be readily seen that an upward pressure will be exerted upon the under surface of the upper plate or movable wall 77. Since this plate rests in the seats 71 and 73 and between the shoulders 72 74 and 75, and is not held down except by gravity, any upward pressure will cause it to rise. This lifting movement will cause the upper sur face of the plate 77 to engage with the bottom of the adjustable thumb screw 41 located in the member 35 of the upwardly extending arm of the lever 32. The lever 32 being pivoted in the pivot arms 31 at the point 33 will thus cause a downward movement of the downwardly extending arm 48 on said lever and the enlarged portion on the end of the same restingas it does on the outward end 54 of the latch member 52, will press said end 54 downward so as to cause a slight rotation of the said latch member 52 on the pivotal point 53 and thus the downwardly extending portion 52 on said latch member will be thrown outward and disengage the pawl 57 from the hooked end 56 on :said latch member. This outward movement of the end 52 of the latch member 52 will place tension upon the spiral spring 53' carried by the members 52 and 53. As the-pawl 57 is released from the hooked end 56 of the latch member 52, the spring 69 carried from the point to the lower arm 68 of the bell crank 62 and being under tension will cause a rotation of the said bell crank by reason of the other end of said bell crank being pivoted at the point 63 to the connecting rod 64, which in like turn is pivoted at 67 to the pawl 57 so as to allow a free movement thereof which will cause a rotation of the operating shaft 61. Since the shaft 61 has the arm 61 securely mounted thereon and the pin 62 located therein resting against the extension 59 of the operating lever 59, the rotation of the said shaft 61 will cause the extension 59' to be carried down through the engagement of the in 62 therewith so that the link 59 will lib pressed outward, the

operating lever 59 will return to its thrownout position and the shaft-action through said link will disengage the clutch not shown) which operates the said press. he operator may then raise the upper end of the I lever 32 by compressing the spring 47 in the seat 46 and expandin the spring 53' between the points 52 an 53 and by grasping the handle 78 on the movable wall or upper plate 77, lift the said plate from its position in the seats 71 and 73 and remove the damaged blank from its position above the feed bar 22. If suflicient space cannot be ob tained between the end of the adjusting screw 41 and the plate 77, the thumb screw or removable pin 38 connecting the tongue 36 of the member 35 in the bifurcation 34 may be withdrawn and the member 35'swung upward above the pivotal point 37 in said bifurcation.

After the said damaged blank has been removed from the feed slot 87, the plate 77 a may be replaced in its former position on the seats 71 and 73, the removable pin 38 replaced so as to again properly seat the member' in the bifurcation 34 of the arm 32 and when the operating member 59 is pushed forward in the direction of the arrow A and the shaft 61 revolved by the same, tension is placed upon the spring 69 either by the arm 68 or the bell crank 62, and the other end of said bell crank raises the pawl 57 through the medium of the connecting rod 64 so that the downwardly extending portion 52' of the latch member 52 is pressed outwardly and the said awl again engages with the hooked end 56 of said latch member. In this position the parts are ready for operation as originally described so that, it will readily be seen that the only operation required after the stopping of the press through my invention is the raising of the plate 77, the removal of the damaged blank from the feed slot 87, replacement of the said plate in its position on the seats 71 and 73 and the movement of the operating lever 59. To avoid any operation of the described parts by means of a very slight movement on the part of the upper plate or moving wall 77, the lower end of the adjusting screw 41 is preferably placed a very short distance above the outer face thereof and this adjustment is accomplished by means of the stops 44 on the lever engaging with the upstanding opening 106 in the metal center 104 passing through the radial openings 107 therefrom.

The oil, as before explained, is supplied from any type of oil on 109 sup 1 ing the cup shaped member 951% the outei ii'all 94 of the housing member 92'.

It must be seen that with the use of my improved mechanism one operator may operate a number of presses as any jammin or crumpling-of the blank in any one o the machines will immediately stop the same, so thatthe operator may leave the machines without, any fear of the machine jamming and injuring any of the operating parts. It will also be readily seen that after the machine has been stopped by means of my invention and the damaged blank removed...

therefrom, there is no adjustment of parts, but the press may be'started again by merely throwing the operating lever.

The oiling device will be found to be of particular advantage when the press is being used for cutting lithographed or lacquered plate as the oil will prevent the punch or die from scoring or marring the lithographed surface.

It is believed that my invent-ion, its construction, mode ofoperation and many of its inherent advantages will be understood and appreciated without further description, and while I have shown and described a preferred embodiment, obviously the details may be varied within \wide limits without'departing from the essence. of the invention as defined in the following claims.

I claim 1. In a die press mechanism having a feed I of said latch member upon the outward movement of said wall to stop said press.

2. In a die press mechanism having a feed slot therein, a movable wall forming one side of said slot, a' pivoted arm having adjustable means on one end thereof. for engaging said wall, a latch member in operative engagement with the other end of said lever, a pawl normally engaging said latch member, a connecting rod pivotally connected with said pawl, and spring actuated means adapted to be operated by the outward movement of said wall permittin said latch member to release said pawl an connecting rod to stop said press.

3. In a die press mechanism having a feed slot therein, a movable wall forming one side of said slot, a lever above said wall, adjustable means carried by said lever and adapted to operate the same through the movement of said wall to stop said press, w

and means for swinging I said adjustable means into an inoperative position permitting removal of said-wall to rectify mal-- functionin of said press.

4. In a ie press mechanism having a feed slot for receiving a blank to be operated upon, a movable wall forming one side of said slot, means operated through the movementof said wall to stop said press, and

means attached to said Wall for exerting "friction on said blank to oppose its retro-- grade movement in said feed slot.

'5. In a die press mechanism having a feed slot for receivin a blank to be operated upon, a reciproca le feed member associated with said slot, a Wall forming one side of said slot, and means for supplying oil toone face of said blank. A

6. In a die ress mechanism having a feed slot therein or receiving blanks to be opslot therein or receiving blanks to be operated upon, a reciprocable feed member associated with said slot, a movable wall forming one side of said slot, seats for retaining said wall, means engaging said wall to stop said press through any distortion of said blank in said feed slot, said wall being adapted to be lifted from said seats to remove said distorted blank.

8. In a device for operating on sheet metal blanks, the combination with a table, of a plate disposed above and in spaced relation to said table to provide an elongated. slot for the reception of the blanks, means for feeding said blanks longitudinally in said slot,said late being movable in response to the buckling of a blank at any point in said slot and means associated with said plate and operable in response to movement thereof for stopping said device.

9. In a die press for operating on sheet metal blanks, the combination with av table extending transversely of said press, of a plate disposed above and in spaced relation. 'to sald table to provide an elongated guide slot for the reception of the blanks, means for feeding said blanks laterally into said slot, means for feedingsaid blanks longitudlnally along said slot, said plate being movable in response to the buckling of a blank in the longitudinal feeding of the blank along said slot andmeans associated with said plate and operable in response to movement thereof for stopping said press.-

10; In a device for operating on sheet metal blanks, the combination with atable,

of a plate disposed above and in spaced re-- lation to said table to provide an elongated slot for the reception of the blanks, means for feeding said blanks longitudinally in said slot, said plate being movable inresponse to the buckling of a blank at any point in said slot and means associated with said plate and operable in response to movement thereof for stopping said device, said plate being further movable with respect to said table after said device has been stopped for the purpose of gaining access to a buckled blank and removing the same.

11. In a die press for operating upon sheet metal blanks, the combination witha table extending transversely of said press and presenting a relatively long and narrow blank supporting surface, of a plate dis-.-

posed above and in spaced relation to said surface to provide an elongated guide slot therebetween, said plate being substantially coextensive in length and width with said blank supporting surface, means for feeding blanks into said slot, means for feeding said blanks along said slot, said plate being movable in response to the distortion of a blank at any point in the length and width of said slot and means associated with said plate and operable in response to movement thereof for stopping said press.

WILLIAM CAMERON. 

